1Central Potato Research Station, Kufri, Shimla-171012, (HP).
2Department of Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore - 560065.
3Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hessargatta Lake, Bangalore-560089, (Karnataka).
Studies conducted to find out the losses caused due to the potato tuber moth Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller) showed that 19.4% of the plants were infested in the field in Karnataka. The larval density varied between 1–12 larvae per plant. The highest tuber damage in storage was recorded in Belgaum (55.40%) followed by 34.49, 23.39, 19.93 and 14.24% in Hassan, Bangalore. Ootacamund and Kolar respectively. There was significant postive relationship between tuber damage and pest density. Two prediction equations were developed to assess the loss caused in village potato sotrage i.e. Y=0.167+0.605 X and Y=−0.196+0.727X (Where, Y=damage percentage by number of tuber and weight of per cent infested tubers respectively and X=number of larvae).
